Warming in Antarctica

Antarctica is the southernmost continent on Earth, governed by the Antarctic Treaty which was established in 1959 and signed by 12 countries, dedicating the entire continent to peaceful purposes and scientific research. Despite the remote location, climate change is taking a toll on the home of the South Pole

Between 1992 and 2017, Antarctica lost more than three trillion tons of ice, most from the West Antarctica Ice Sheet. In contrast to melting sea ice in the Arctic Circle, which is floating and already displacing ocean water, when snow and ice melts on the Antarctic continent and flows offshore, it contributes directly to sea level rise.

Collapsing ice shelves in West Antarctica can also lead more glaciers flowing offshore. Ice shelves tend to keep snow and ice on land, when they collapse, glaciers slide into the sea at an accelerated rate.

Antarctica is warming twice as fast as the rest of planet, resulting in a regional loss of penguin habitat and a substantial contribution to sea level rise worldwide.